Shortages at Tesco after price dispute with Unilever

By Dominic Harris

One of the world’s largest consumer goods manufacturers has been accused of “exploiting consumers” amid the falling value of the pound after a pricing row with Tesco left the supermarket low on household items such as Marmite, Flora and Persil.

Tesco employees are considering taking a claim out for losing pay for working unsocial hours

One of the world’s largest consumer goods manufacturers has been accused of “exploiting consumers” amid the falling value of the pound after a pricing row with Tesco left the supermarket low on household items such as Marmite, Flora and Persil.

Unilever is believed to have demanded a 10% price rise due to the falling value of sterling, halting deliveries to Tesco when it refused.

The stand-off has left the supermarket facing a shortage of brands such as Surf washing powder, Comfort fabric conditioner, Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Pot Noodle and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

The move is understood to have hit online sales rather than products in store. Shoppers trying to buy items from Tesco’s website on Wednesday were met with the message “Sorry, this product is currently not available”.

It is thought a number of supermarkets are embroiled in the row with Unilever, which earlier this year posted profits of around £2 billion for the first half of 2016.